Sleeping Beauty
by Stoic Last Stand
Summary: Remake of a Season 8 comic. Buffy is in the magical coma waiting for true love's kiss. The Scoobies are searching desperately for someone to awake her. One-shot. Femslash.


It had been days, weeks even, and Willow was despondent. She just didn't know what to do. Buffy _still_ lay in her spelled sleep. Angel was moping around the castle, unable to believe his kiss had not awakened her. Spike was missing. Satsu, one of the slayers, was on a rampage, seducing every girl she could. Willow didn't _want_ to, but she knew it was time to call in Giles. An operation as big as theirs had become could not afford to be leaderless and as strong a wiccan as she was, she was not strong enough to lead the Slayers. No, it was time to call for the Dark Slayer. God help them all.

*** Dawn ***

Satsu didn't understand why her kiss hadn't woken Buffy. I did. True love _wasn't_ love at first sight. They were two different things. One required nothing but the right look. The other required a _knowing_ of other. That's probably why Angel and Spike also failed. Or at least, that's what I think. Of course, who ever thinks to ask centaurs these things?

*** Giles ***

I received the call at four in the morning. They woke me from a rather sound sleep. Not that they would listen, of course, nor make sense. Willow was babbling in such a way I hadn't heard in years. They may be technically grownups now, but they will always be children to me. Which is, I believe, the main cause of my, and Buffy's, distress. I loved her like a daughter. Something I never dreamed I would. And like a true family we were fighting. Each blow delivered with expert precision to areas that had been vulnerable for years. When she had asked me to leave, I had. When the Watcher's council entrusted me with my sacred position I had sworn a personal oath to help the world (a bit vain but considering how many times I had seen the event horizon of the apocalypse it was rather accurate). When I had seen the need that I would not, could not, let Buffy fulfill I had enlisted Faith's aid. As callous as it is to admit it, she was close enough to me that I would not endanger her recklessly but not too close. When her duties ended in death I would cry, but not for long. Her death wouldn't break me as Buffy's had.

*** Xander ***

She strode in like she owned the place. She _always_ walked like that. Only this time, she did... or she would. I still can't believe that Willow talked me into calling her. Only Will could have. After she helped save the world you think I would trust her. Well, I was beginning too. More the fool me. One mystical transportation and near drowning later and I remembered _exactly_ what Faith is. A user. She used people and situations to her own ends. Smiles at you one moment and stabs your back the next. Or, in our case, takes your cherry then throws you out. Yeah, I _still_ hold a grudge. Petty, I know, but what can I say, I'm a petty man. I glare at her, wishing I had two eyes to double the effect. She doesn't even notice, or pretends not to, I can't tell. "Faith." I bite out, letting her see just how happy I am that she's here. Will smacks me gently on the arm. Oh, right, not in front of the troops. After all, we want them to do what we never could. We want them to trust her with their lives.

*** Satsu ***

She was beautiful. I didn't expect that. Sexy, yes. Skanky, definitely. But beautiful, not at all. From all the stories I'd heard of her, the Dark Slayer, the Rogue, I'd never thought she would be beautiful. Nor charming. One flash of those deep dimples and suddenly I understood why. Why they had trusted her. Why her tale was so tragic. The Fallen Slayer. Beautiful.

*** Rhonda ***

They were talking, semi-quietly, amongst themselves. Beside me Satsu was staring at Faith. She wasn't the only one. As one of the original potentials I'd already seen her. I'd seen her fight. And I'd seen her play. I'd never seen anything else. Frankly I don't think Faith is capable of anything else. Of course, the same could be said of Buffy. It was like they both had two modes. A switch that flicked back and forth. One labelled 'fight'. The other labelled 'everything else'. I'm not sure which is the default setting. I'm not sure I want to know.

*** Willow ***

Red. It's almost ironic that she still calls me that. Red has been such a powerful color in my life. There's no other color I remember as well as Red. The Red of Warren's muscles as they glistened in the moonlight, stripped of their flesh. The Red of Tara's blood as it was absorbed into her shirt and mine. The Red of life, and of death. Ironic. I wonder if the younger Faith, who had nicknamed me, had ever dreamed of the Red's I would see. I used to think that she hadn't. That no one would ever know Red as well as me. On that long drive from L.A. to Sunnydale I'd seen something in Faith's eyes. Something that made me think that maybe, just maybe, Faith had always understood more then we knew, or wanted to know, about Red. Yes, her nickname fit me. Just as hers did. Made of and for those things which dare not show face in the sunlight. She was truly the Dark Slayer.

*** Slayer In Training ***

I was, again, on guard duty. Which, if you ask me, is just plain stupid. But nooo, you couldn't ask a newbie. So I got to spend eight hours watching over the unmoving form of Buffy Summers. Yay me. It's not like she's just going to get up and walk out of here. Well, it's not like we'd mind if she just got up and walked out. And clearly her enemies weren't going to attack, after all they'd already defeated her. It was a laugh to see all these people try and waken her. Kinda sad in a way. Mostly it was funny because of all these tales of 'great romance' attached to her. Like Angel. The original souled vampire who'd loved her so much. The 'man' she'd had to send to hell to save the world. Or Spike! A vampire who loved the Slayer so much that he'd actually regained his soul for her. Pitiful bastard. Hell even her best friends had laid the lip-lock on her. All to no avail. After that they'd pretty much had an open house. Any one who wanted a taste of the 'Queen of Slayers' could have a go. Most of the slayers in the castle had tried, if just to say they had. That was the sad part of the story. Although it really shouldn't be. She had no one who truly loved her. Well, hell, neither did most of the world. Only most of the world wasn't cursed to be Sleeping Beauty. AND WHAT THE HELL? Why was the door opening? Wasn't everybody supposed to be meeting our new Commander, the original Dark Slayer? I tensed. Fuck. I just realized no one ever said what to do if someone _did_ come for her. Through the crack in the door a woman slipped in. My hand slipped down to grip my weapon even as I studied her. She was beautiful, just like a panther I'd once seen at the zoo. Graceful like one too. She was slightly crouched, defensive, but still gave off the aura of confidence. Definitely not someone I'd like to meet in a dark alley. I couldn't help but blush as I considered that statement. It wasn't exactly true. I just wouldn't want to _fight_ her in some dark alley. Her eyes flickered to me. Oh, shit. I always wondered when I'd die. Never realized it would be so soon. She gestured, raising one finger up to cover her lips. I nodded. You bet your ass I wasn't going to scream. How pathetic would that be? Not a great way for a slayer to go. Then her magnetic eyes were off me and focused on Buffy. Then she was bending over her, whispering something in her ear. Then she kissed her...

...Then I woke up. With a bruise already forming on my cheek and a very _awake_, very _pissed off_, BUFFY SUMMERS wondering what the hell happened. What a fucking grade A time to faint. Son of a Bitch!


End file.
